Posts tagged institution

Perhaps not the most PC title, but quite fitting. The ‘nuthouse’ is a semi-abandoned asylum on the northside of Cork city in the Sundays Well area. I say semi-abandoned in that three quarters of the (possibly longest in Ireland) building has been converted into apartments. The last quarter sits unused, almost completely gutted and looking devoid of any life or future development plans. It’s almost as if it’s been left alone for some reason.

Now I’m not saying it’s haunted or anything, but given it’s past use and tales of what went on in there in decades gone by, I personally wouldn’t live in one of the apartments if it was offered with a free car and a cheque for €300k. Maybe that makes me superstitious. Or cautious. Or at least I was cautious enough (this time at least) not to try and enter the building via the ridiculously flimsy looking ‘bridge’ (pictured below) that someone had installed in haste. Didn’t really fancy the 20+ foot drop to the glass & various debris littered below.

It’s both a massively interesting building and a bloody massive building. If you’ve walked in the Lee fields or along the Carrigrohane road, you’ll no doubt have looked to your right over the river and gazed at the ornate grey building half way up the hill.

Having said all of the above, if someone offered me a guided tour of both the abandoned and lived in portions of the building, I wouldn’t refuse.. Anyone?